Message to All Newhouse Students: We Are Screwed!

I woke up this morning to an entire day-ruining email that began with this incredibly sarcastic and far too excited opener:

“Who uses 15 thousand pounds of paper, killing 194 trees; consumes 224 million BTUs of energy; and emits over 44 thousand pounds of carbon dioxide and as much sulfur dioxide as 35 eighteen-wheelers driving year-round? We do! The printing done in the Newhouse computer labs generate those staggering numbers–not to mention a huge cost!”

While reading this all I could think was: What the hell is tuition actually paying for? If you’re a Newhouse student, you have or will have taken graphics, and probably a few other creative design classes. This means you will most likely need to test print several copies of your work before you turn in the final project. I remember printing out tons of copies of my magazine project before I got my final product right. What would that cost me now? Probably less than $10 but still an expense that as a poor college student, I shouldn’t have to pay.

Support Your Local Brewery

Look closely, those red stripes are actually red dog lables

That’s just one of the signs you’ll see in Empire Brewing Co. – an Armory Square gem I visited on a recent Sunday. On my first visit to the brewery/restaurant, I literally thought, “This place is so cool.” Perhaps not my most prophetic moment, but let me explain.

The wrought-iron gate at the top of the stairs decorated with oversized hops gave the first indication that this place is all about the beer. To my right as I entered, I caught a glimpse through some windows of the fermenting vats they use in the brewing process – our table was just feet away from the mysterious world in which malt, hops, yeast, and water magically combine to form alcoholic deliciousness. Cue the choir – I had entered some sort of beer heaven.

Empire's brew on tap at the bar

The brick walls in the dining area were simply decorated with portraits of pints (seriously, huge pictures of beer), each with a different background (like the ones you choose from in your third grade school portrait). The walls near the bar, on the other hand, were covered in gold, silver, and bronze medals – each awarded to one of Empire’s unique brews over the years at the Great American Beer Festival.